


1978 Lincoln Continental

by iameveryonelse



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bisexual Dean Winchester, Canonical Character Death, College | University Student Sam Winchester, F/M, First Kiss, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Grief/Mourning, Grieving Dean Winchester, M/M, Mechanic Dean Winchester, Mild Language, Mutual Pining, POV Dean Winchester, Post-Episode: s15e19 Inherit the Earth, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29066991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iameveryonelse/pseuds/iameveryonelse
Summary: Dean's first instinct is to laugh. So he does. It's a 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V - the ugly piece of shit Cas used to drive. Ben whistles lowly, making a quiet comment on the monstrosity before them. Kim asks what's funny."I haven't seen a car like this in years... An old friend of mine used to drive one." Dean says by means of explanation. He opens his mouth to greet the customer, and then the car door is swinging open and he's stepping out.The moment the sun hits his hair, Dean freezes. He's paralysed, he can't even breathe, is this real life? Because its him.It's Cas.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester
Comments: 16
Kudos: 153





	1978 Lincoln Continental

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my fix it for the supernatural finale! Only reason I'm posting this is because I can write literally anything, and be confident that it's better than 15x20. This is just some fluff, light angst & a deancas resolution, enjoy!

As the embers die down and the ash settles, Dean finally allows himself to take a deep, shaking breath. A sharp, acrid scent swirls in the air, filling Dean's nose. He opens his eyes. It's gone. The shirt, the green shirt, stained and smeared with what's left of Cas, is gone. He can let go. Dean's shoulders relax, as though he's rid them of a great weight. Of course, Cas is - was - so much more than just a weight on Dean's shoulders, but he needs to let go.

Dean swears, that as that shirt burnt, he can feel Cas' eyes on him. Ever since Cas died, ever since he saved Dean, Dean hasn't had a chance to absorb it. He's been in a state of shock. And now with Jack gone as God, it's just Sam and himself in the cold, empty bunker. It's too quiet. His brain won't shut up. All he can think is _Cas, Cas, Cas..._

His cheeks are wet with tears.

———

Sam and Dean go on two hunts, but after the second Sam tells Dean he plans to return to college, specifically University of Nebraska in Omaha, to study Political Science. Dean's lips stretch into a smile (it feels unfamiliar) and a warm feeling of pride unfurls in his chest. He pulls Sam close, hugging him fiercely, and tells him how proud of his little brother he is. And it's genuine. It slowly dawns on him what this means for him. He can continue hunting of course, alone, or... Or he can retire. And as Sam is on the phone to Eileen, telling her all about UNO, an idea blooms in Dean's mind.

Along with hope. For the first time in a month, Dean feels a little less empty.

Sam moves out three weeks later. He finds an apartment near his university, and Eileen moves in with him. They come back each weekend, and Dean decides to stay in the bunker. He's not ready to part with it just yet. Two days after Sam moves out, Dean gets the call. He's been offered a job.

The garage in Lebanon town needed a mechanic, and Dean applied. As it would turn out, the owner knew Bobby, and Dean was pretty much guaranteed the job. But now it's official. Dean Winchester will be a mechanic. He's out, out of the family business. It feels freeing. He spends a whole two days cleaning Baby, every nook and cranny, excited to show her off to his new co-workers.

Dean prays to Cas most days. Sometimes just to say _hello. I miss you_. On bad days he gets angry, asking why he left, why he thought that was fair. But the day before he starts work, he's not angry. He tells Cas all about the garage, about just how bitchin' Baby looks, even mentioning what shirt he's going to wear. He tells Cas how excited he is, but also scared, and he gruffly says that he's proud of himself. There is an immediate onslaught of shame for taking pride in himself, but he imagines Cas would admonish him softly for it, and the shame slowly fades. He can envision Cas' smile and warm eyes, and that night, Dean doesn't wake with nightmares.

———

By the time Christmas rolls around, Dean has settled in well. He's friendly with his colleagues, and he goes out for drinks with Ben and Kim each Friday. The work is good, Dean is even patching up a few classic cars to be sold on. None of them compare to the Impala of course, but Dean loves his job all the same.

Christmas is quiet, just Sam, Eileen and himself, but they all buy each other gifts and collaborate on the dinner. Eileen had come down a week early to decorate, they'd even gotten a tree, and some fairy lights. Dean makes them watch Die Hard after, and they decide then and there that this will be a Christmas tradition. Eileen and Sam stay for new years, and another week after that, so that by the time they leave Christmas has faded and Dean doesn't feel as though he's alone for the holidays. He appreciates it more than he can say.

January is hard. Sam doesn't mention the beer bottles that lie scattered throughout the bunker (particularly in the room where Cas sacrificed himself) when he comes home, but he does through out what's left in the fridges the day he goes back to Nebraska. This earns him a stony silence from Dean, but they both know its for the best. Sam leaves, and Dean loses it.

It's all too much. The pain of losing Cas, and Jack too, is fresh and raw, even a year later. Dean flings a beer bottle against the wall. _Why did you leave me?_ Dean's breath comes hard and heavy, chest burning, anger roiling barely beneath the surface. He kicks a chair.

When he comes to, he's in the room where Cas was taken. He's against the wall, like he was that night, right hand on his left shoulder, as though to recreate Cas' touch. The chair is broken, he has fuzzy memories of smashing it against the wall. Tracks of salt run down his cheeks, remnants of unbidden tears. His head throbs, his throat is raw and dry. He cannot see how he will survive this.

———

He does of course. Survive. The hours turn to days, to weeks, to months. Two and a half years since Cas died, Dean is doing better. He still prays daily, and there are days when he can't get out of bed, but overall he's better. He took up hunting again about a year ago, only small easy cases and some weekends he goes on hunts with both Sam and Eileen. Often if a case crops up he'll pass it on to a different hunter, but there are days when Dean needs to feel useful, to save people. Life is working out pretty well for him.

It's a pleasant Thursday afternoon in August when it happens.

Dean is fixing up an old Ford Anglia - like the one from Harry Potter, Dean had thought when it had rolled in - while Kim gives him a helping hand. Ben is nearby, under the guise of working, but to be truthful the three of them are doing more talking than working. The sound of gravel crunching let's Dean know there's a car incoming, and he looks up.

His first instinct is to laugh. So he does. It's a 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V - the ugly piece of shit Cas used to drive. Ben whistles lowly, making a quiet comment on the monstrosity before them. Kim asks what's funny.

"I haven't seen a car like this in years... An old friend of mine used to drive one." Dean says by means of explanation. He opens his mouth to greet the customer, and then the car door is swinging open and he's stepping out.

The moment the sun hits his hair, Dean freezes. He's paralysed, he can't even breathe, _is this real life?_ Because its him.

It's Cas.

Cas, in his stupid trenchcoat, nervous smile on his face, hands twisting. Kim looks from Dean to Cas, and picking up on something Ben cannot, she drags him away to the shop. It's silent.

"Hello, Dean."

There's many things Dean wants to say. But Dean, he's never been good with words. His emotions are a mess, one huge entangled mess, and the only thing he can think to do is march determinedly over to Cas, and swiftly punch him in the jaw.

Cas' head twists, before snapping right back into place, not in the least harmed. Then Dean is grabbing him by the lapels of his coat, and pulls him in for a bone crushing hug. Cas stiffens in surprise, and then returns the hug tentatively.

"You son of a bitch." Dean's voice cracks with emotion. "Don't ever do that again, don't you dare."

He pulls away one hand resting on Cas' arm. He can feel his eyes filling with tears. Cas' expression is hard to place, there's joy evident in the crinkle of his eyes, but he looks almost uneasy.

Dean says, "let's go home."

———

They drive home in their separate cars (Dean didn't want to leave Baby at the repairs shop) and Dean glances at Cas in the rear view mirror every five minutes, just to make sure this is real. They park their cars in the bunker garage, and the walk up to the kitchen is silent. Dean grabs two beers, and they sit at the table where everyone's names are carved. They still haven't spoken a word.

Eventually Dean has to ask, "Where have you been?"

"Heaven. Jack rescued me from the Empty, and I helped him rebuild heaven."

This throws Dean off. Cas has been out? For a while it seems.

"Did you not want to see me?" his voice sounds sharp and whiny to his own ears.

The look that crosses Cas' face is so open, so full of longing and pain, tears prick at Dean's eyes again.

"Of course I wanted to see you, Dean. I heard your prayers. I wanted... I wanted to see you so badly. But I was terrified. I am still."

"Of what, Cas? Of _me_?"

"Dean..."

But Dean is standing up now, chair scraping across the floor. "All this time, you've heard me praying? All these _years_? You left me Cas, you told me all those things and then you just _left_. That's not... That wasn't fair."

Cas cringes, rising slowly, one arm reaching for Dean. "I know it wasn't fair...but I had to save you Dean. I couldn't let you die. I'm just sorry I had to make you uncomfortable to do it."

Dean does a double take, "make me _uncomfortable_?"

He laughs a little hysterically, of all things _this_ is what's bothering Cas?

"Jesus Cas... I'm not uncomfortable. It's just not fair that you got to say all that and then I had to go on without you. Sam had Eileen, you know, and I just... I've been alone."

Cas frowns, undoubtedly about to mention that Dean has Sam, when Dean's phone rings loudly. A quick glance shows him that it's Sam calling.

He picks up, says, "Hold on a second" and passes the phone to Cas. He can hear Sam sigh exasperatedly, hear the tired 'Dean.' coming, but then Cas speaks.

"Hello Sam." A beat of silence.

"Cas? Is that you?"

A soft smile settles on Castiel's lips.

"Yes Sam, it's me."

Dean hears Sam freak out, and the two converse for a while before Sam has to go get back to Eileen. He tells Dean he'll see him that weekend but he'll be a few hours late. They hang up, and then it's silent again.

Dean's not sure what to say. He's not even sure how he feels. Cas being back, it makes him feel happiness like he's never felt before. But it's also opened up _something_ within him, and he's not sure how to deal with that. He glances at Cas, who is tracing lightly over his name engraved in the table. The light catches on his dark hair, and all Dean can think is how much he's missed him. Blue eyes flick up and meet his own.

Cas holds his gaze, seemingly waiting for Dean to speak. Dean's mouth opens of its own accord.

"Will you stay?"

"As long as I live." Cas doesn't even hesitate.

Then Dean is crossing the space between, and hugging Cas desperately. Cas hugs back fiercely this time, and they stay there clutching each other for much longer than necessary. When they pull away, tears are threatening to spill down Dean's face, and Cas hasn't even tried to stop crying.

And then Dean is speaking without fully thinking about it, because if he thinks about it he'll clam up.

"You have me, Cas. Always have. I know I've treated you rough, man, and no matter what you say, I've been angry at you. More than I had a right to be sometimes. Hell, I punched you today. But these last two years? They've been bad. I can't do this without you. Do you hear me? _You have me_."

He can see the wheels turning in Cas' mind, head cocking slightly, lips parting as though to speak probably to ask Dean what he means. Dean's had enough of talking. He's never been good with words, a man of action.

Dean kisses him.

If he's honest, Dean doesn't know when he realised what he felt for Cas. Maybe when he met Benny, and it struck him that his relationship with Cas was intense by comparison. Maybe when Cas died, for the first time, or the time after that or the time after that. Maybe it was when he learmed Cas was working with Crowley, because that betrayal hit him harder than any of Sam's ever had. Maybe it was when Cas told him he loved him. Maybe it was here and now, right this second. Truthfully it doesn't matter. 

What matters is Cas' surprised noise in the back of his throat, the way his hand clences on Dean's shoulder, the way his lips feel on Dean's. What matters is that Cas is kissing him back, and that this feels natural.

His heart is racing when they pull away. Cas touches a hand to his lips, and then a slow smile stretches over his face. Dean knows they have a lot to discuss, and a long way to go with whatever this is, but he also knows that this feels right.

"You have me." he says again, voice rough with emotion.

"And you me, Dean."

———

Sam and Eileen are not in the least surprised when they come back to the bunker and Dean and Cas are holding hands. Dean instinctively springs away from Cas, but Sam just hugs him and tells him he's happy for them.

Things aren't perfect. They argue, Dean gets nightmares, Cas feels lost and retreats into himself some days. But they handle it together. It only makes sense, then, that they move out of the bunker together, only using it for hunts. 

When Cas gets on one knee, three years later, well, that also only makes sense. 

———

**Author's Note:**

> I can't write endings lol


End file.
